I cannot be entirely frank about my experiences in these blog posts because there are certain freedom of speech and writing laws in Jordan that are different from those in the US. For example, I am not allowed to write of any personal experience with the royal court. I do want to say a couple things about my observations and opinions on the current Palestinian State debate, especially because I now live alongside some of the people most affected by this decision. And, I don't think many Americans have access to the Palestinian perspective and that is unfortunate, especially in a country where idealistically there's supposed to be limited censorship. So I'd like to at least relate different comments that have been circulating around me as we approach the UN vote tonight as the Palestinians plea for recognition of their statehood.
King's has a large percentage of Palestinian students, so the general atmosphere surrounding this vote is one of extreme and earnest passion. This isn't about politics to these kids: this is about whether or not they can visit their families on the weekends or even have access to their homes and their birthland at all. Posters have been going up around the school, "UN Vote 194: Palestine Statehood," and there have been speeches and presentations during school meeting. A group of King's students travelled to Palestine this summer to pursue humanitarian and peace work, but only students who held dual citizenship (i.e. they also had a Korean or Canadian or American or some other passport) were allowed in by the Israeli security. Any student who only held a Jordanian passport was not allowed in. This strikes me as ironic, since it seems as if children--students--and specifically JORDANIAN students, the neighbors of Palestine and Israel, must be the future peacemakers.
There has been a lot of discussion, especially among the expats, about how the vote will affect the stability of the region. Some faculty have expressed (a somewhat cynical) hope that perhaps Obama will go rogue and support the Palestinian state, as many here see his reelection as an extremely unlikely possibility. "At least he could make history." Although now that seems even more incredibly unlikely, given his statement earlier today pledging a veto of the Palestinian state.
Many expats are concerned about the general opinion of Americans in Jordan and the surrounding areas, which will surely grow more volatile and antagonistic, with the US veto. Tonight I'll be going into Amman to see an art street festival that is showcasing one of our student's artwork, though I probably will come back to King's before the vote takes place later tonight. I don't know what the American mentality is back home, but here, I feel ashamed of my country. It is difficult to see so many Palestinian people, who do have their own Palestinian identity and culture and sense of home, and understand how they do not deserve to be recognized as an individual entity and state. Especially when this decision is being made by the non-vote of support from a country whose constituents largely have never met a Palestinian person. This isn't a slight toward the American people but rather toward the ability of a minority of lobbyists who have the power to influence these momentous decisions for an entire people. Granted, these lobbyists represent a people, the Israelis. But I am somewhat confused as to the American perspective. On a human level, why aren't we interested in letting the Palestinians have statehood? Our own government is built on a belief in self-determination. I might feel differently if I was living in Israel right now. But I am in Jordan, and from here, I can see a Palestine state. I see it in my students' pride when they say, "I am Palestinian." I also know that these large governmental decisions can have extreme consequences that are not always foreseeable. Perhaps the creation of a Palestinian state will have terrible implications in the future. In decisions such as this one, either way, extreme violence and heartbreak are likely to result. My comments are coming from a purely emotional standpoint rather than a political one.
I know that a name gives something its power to a large extent, and America, perhaps, is afraid of giving this power to Palestine, but Palestine already exists here, and refusing to name something as an attempt to retroactively eliminate it, seems to me, just a dangerous way to make an already convoluted situation even more nebulous.
King's has a large percentage of Palestinian students, so the general atmosphere surrounding this vote is one of extreme and earnest passion. This isn't about politics to these kids: this is about whether or not they can visit their families on the weekends or even have access to their homes and their birthland at all. Posters have been going up around the school, "UN Vote 194: Palestine Statehood," and there have been speeches and presentations during school meeting. A group of King's students travelled to Palestine this summer to pursue humanitarian and peace work, but only students who held dual citizenship (i.e. they also had a Korean or Canadian or American or some other passport) were allowed in by the Israeli security. Any student who only held a Jordanian passport was not allowed in. This strikes me as ironic, since it seems as if children--students--and specifically JORDANIAN students, the neighbors of Palestine and Israel, must be the future peacemakers.
There has been a lot of discussion, especially among the expats, about how the vote will affect the stability of the region. Some faculty have expressed (a somewhat cynical) hope that perhaps Obama will go rogue and support the Palestinian state, as many here see his reelection as an extremely unlikely possibility. "At least he could make history." Although now that seems even more incredibly unlikely, given his statement earlier today pledging a veto of the Palestinian state.
Many expats are concerned about the general opinion of Americans in Jordan and the surrounding areas, which will surely grow more volatile and antagonistic, with the US veto. Tonight I'll be going into Amman to see an art street festival that is showcasing one of our student's artwork, though I probably will come back to King's before the vote takes place later tonight. I don't know what the American mentality is back home, but here, I feel ashamed of my country. It is difficult to see so many Palestinian people, who do have their own Palestinian identity and culture and sense of home, and understand how they do not deserve to be recognized as an individual entity and state. Especially when this decision is being made by the non-vote of support from a country whose constituents largely have never met a Palestinian person. This isn't a slight toward the American people but rather toward the ability of a minority of lobbyists who have the power to influence these momentous decisions for an entire people. Granted, these lobbyists represent a people, the Israelis. But I am somewhat confused as to the American perspective. On a human level, why aren't we interested in letting the Palestinians have statehood? Our own government is built on a belief in self-determination. I might feel differently if I was living in Israel right now. But I am in Jordan, and from here, I can see a Palestine state. I see it in my students' pride when they say, "I am Palestinian." I also know that these large governmental decisions can have extreme consequences that are not always foreseeable. Perhaps the creation of a Palestinian state will have terrible implications in the future. In decisions such as this one, either way, extreme violence and heartbreak are likely to result. My comments are coming from a purely emotional standpoint rather than a political one.
I know that a name gives something its power to a large extent, and America, perhaps, is afraid of giving this power to Palestine, but Palestine already exists here, and refusing to name something as an attempt to retroactively eliminate it, seems to me, just a dangerous way to make an already convoluted situation even more nebulous.
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